Black.

Black.

The synonym darkness. That's what I found life is.

My life was dark. All the way from childhood.

As the sun went down, the alley became darker. The way my life was. When I sat down, dropping my legs on the calm water, I shivered. Goosebumps stood up on my skin.

I looked upwards. Towards the sky. The moon was yet to come. I sighed in despair.

I wish I could see the moon reflecting on the lake.

Maybe for the last time.

Soft grasses beneath my palm crushed as I grasped them hard. When the bushes behind me crunch.

Smiling inwardly, I waited. For the darkness behind me to finally engulf me. Hiding me from the fake silvery lights.

I waited.

And waited.

As my heart couldn't await, it beat. As if the drum in my chest might have been heard by my predators as well, I felt the cold metal behind my neck. My lungs forgot to breathe.

They wanted to stop my heart. For forever. They were jealous of it. Because they didn't get any.

They wanted to savor hearts. For the satisfaction of their own. And mine was just another prey. Another food for their own.

They pressed the metal a bit harder. It was colder than the water beneath me. They wanted me to feel it. Wanted to hear my heart beats for it.

But I was sitting still. Without moving behind. When one of them smirked. I felt it on my back.

Maybe it was a trick in my mind. Playing with my heart. But I heard them whispering. Some hot air entered my ear.

"Run, boy. Or you will get the worst death ever." The airs said to me. I knew what they want. So, I ran. Accepting their words. Accepting my fate.

I ran. Not for my life. Maybe for dignity before dying.

My legs gave up after some laps. Two or three maybe. The lack of nutrition hit back at me. By then the soft mud was replaced by the hard asphalt. And that's when the gunshot shook the sky.

I slipped down on the ground. Clutching my knee. The Scarlet liquid felt darkish under the faint moonlight.

I couldn't get time to breathe. When another gunshot was heard. Breaking the sleep of the birds. Some flew away chipping. It was my back this time, which beard the shot.

Supporting my other leg, I decided to stand up. The images became blurry all of a sudden when ringing erupted in my ears.

Still, I managed to get up. My wobbly legs did their best to support me. Because I refused to die cowardly.

My vision kept focusing, unfocusing. As though, they felt the smirk lingering on my face, I saw one of the raising their arm. Pointing the gun at me.

I didn't close my eyes. Fear didn't engulf me this time. If I had to die, I won't die cowardly.

My eyes never looked down. The blurry gaze of mine decided not to focus when I felt blinding lights hit me from my side.

As if I was thrown out of the ground. As suddenly as my body flew up from the ground it was again thrown back on the hard asphalt.

My tongue tasted the metallic test, I could feel my bone twisted in different ways. With my blurry eyes, the last thing I saw was the car, flashing its headlights.

***